Pirates Defeat UTSA, 88-72

East Carolina University men's basketball team secures conference win

Published on Feb. 12, 2026

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East Carolina University's men's basketball team defeated the University of Texas at San Antonio (UTSA) Roadrunners 88-72 on Wednesday night. Jordan Riley scored a game-high 19 points, while Isaiah Mbeng had an all-around performance with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists. The Pirates had five players score in double figures, including Demitri Gardner with 15 points and Eli DeLaurier with a career-high 13 points.

Why it matters

This win marks East Carolina's first conference victory of the season in the American Athletic Conference. The Pirates have struggled this year with an 8-16 overall record, so this win could provide a much-needed boost of momentum as they look to finish the season strong.

The details

After UTSA jumped out to an early 9-6 lead, East Carolina quickly regained control with a 6-0 run to go up 12-9. The Pirates eventually increased their lead to double digits and took a 46-31 advantage into halftime. In the second half, East Carolina cruised to the 88-72 victory, never allowing UTSA to get closer than 13 points.

  • The game was played on Wednesday, February 11, 2026 inside Williams Arena at Minges Coliseum.
  • Jordan Riley scored his 1,000th career point for East Carolina at the 17:22 mark of the second half, becoming the 35th Pirate to reach that milestone and the fourth to do so in a two-season span.

The players

Jordan Riley

A key player for East Carolina, scoring a game-high 19 points and becoming the 35th Pirate to reach 1,000 career points.

Isaiah Mbeng

Had an all-around strong performance for East Carolina with 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists.

Demitri Gardner

Scored 15 points for East Carolina, continuing his streak of scoring in double figures for the seventh straight game.

Eli DeLaurier

Set a new career-high with 13 points scored for East Carolina.

Giovanni Emejuru

Recorded his 12th double-double of the season for East Carolina with 12 points and 12 rebounds.

Daniel Akitoby

Led UTSA with 16 points in the losing effort.

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What’s next

East Carolina will travel to Rice for a Saturday matchup at 2 p.m. ET on ESPN+.

The takeaway

East Carolina's men's basketball team was able to secure their first conference win of the season, led by strong performances from several key players. This victory could provide a much-needed confidence boost as the Pirates look to finish the season on a high note.